Encoding characteristics of a biological sample

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a method of encoding a characteristic of a sample. The method includes identifying a collection of more than one codes of a standard coding scheme where different codes correspond to different standard coding scheme concepts. The method forms a pre-coordinated code not found in the standard coding scheme from a concatenation of the codes. The method also stores the pre-coordinated code along with other pre-coordinated codes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of encoding a characteristic of a biological sample, the method comprising: 
 identifying a collection of more than one codes of a standard coding scheme, different codes corresponding to different concepts of the standard coding scheme;    forming a pre-coordinated code from a concatenation of the more than one codes, the pre-coordinated code not being found in the standard coding scheme; and    storing the pre-coordinated code along with other pre-coordinated codes.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a collection of one or more lexical terms describing a concept associated with the pre-coordinated code.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the codes comprise SNOMED (Systemized Nomenclature of Human and Veterinary Medicine) codes.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein concatenating the codes comprises concatenating the codes in accordance with at least one syntax rule.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one syntax rule comprises a rule specifying an ordering of terms according to their SNOMED axis.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the stored pre-coordinated codes for assignment to a sample.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sample comprises an excess tissue sample received from a donor institution.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing the stored pre-coordinated codes for assignment comprises displaying at least one selection menu including lexical terms of concepts associated with the pre-coordinated codes.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing the stored pre-coordinated codes for assignment comprises providing the stored codes as elements of a set of user interface instructions transmitted over a network.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface instructions comprise markup language instructions.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising 
 receiving a query identifying a pre-coordinated code; and    identifying a collection of at least one sample having been assigned the pre-coordinated code.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein receiving the query comprises receiving the query via computer network.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving the query comprises receiving the query encoded within a network transfer protocol message.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the pre-coordinated code from a concatenation of the more than one codes comprises concatenation of the more than one codes with code separating delimiters.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-coordinated code corresponds to a diagnosis concept.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-coordinated code corresponds to at least one of the following: a tissue concept and a procedure concept.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the collection of codes comprises a code not in the standard coding scheme.  
     
     
         18 . A computer program product, disposed on a computer readable medium, for encoding a characteristic of a biological sample, the computer program including instructions for causing a processor to: 
 identify a collection of more than one codes of a standard coding scheme, different codes corresponding to different concepts of the standard coding scheme;    form a pre-coordinated code from a concatenation of the more than one codes, the pre-coordinated code not being found in the standard coding scheme; and    store the pre-coordinated code along with other pre-coordinated codes.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions for causing the processor to store a collection of one or more lexical terms describing a concept associated with the pre-coordinated code.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the codes comprise SNOMED (Systemized Nomenclature of Human and Veterinary Medicine) codes.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions that concatenate the codes comprise instructions that concatenate the codes in accordance with at least one syntax rule.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one syntax rule comprises a rule specifying an ordering of terms according to their SNOMED axis.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions for causing the processor to provide the stored pre-coordinated codes for assignment to a sample.  
     
     
         24 . The computer program of  claim 23 , wherein the instructions that provide the stored pre-coordinated codes for assignment comprise instructions for displaying at least one selection menu including lexical terms of concepts associated with the pre-coordinated codes.  
     
     
         25 . The computer program of  claim 23 , wherein the instructions that provide the stored pre-coordinated codes for assignment comprise instructions that provide the stored codes as elements of a set of user interface instructions transmitted over a network.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface instructions comprise markup language instructions.  
     
     
         27 . The computer program of  claim 18 , further comprising instructions for causing the processor to: 
 receive a query identifying a pre-coordinated code; and    identify a collection of at least one sample having been assigned the pre-coordinated code.    
     
     
         28 . The computer program of  claim 27 , wherein the instructions that receive the query comprise instructions that receive the query via computer network.  
     
     
         29 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions that form the pre-coordinated code from a concatenation of the more than one codes comprise instructions that concatenate more than one codes with code separating delimiters.  
     
     
         30 . The computer program of  claim 18 , wherein one of the collection of codes comprises a code not in the standard coding scheme.